Optical objective



June 27, 1961 l. c. SANDBACK 2,989,895

OPTICAL. OBJECTIVE Filed June 30, 8

IN VEN TOR.

Layin 5 M06 MMyJggi United States Patent 2,989,895 OPTICAL OBJECTIVE Irving C. Sandb'ack, Morton Grove, Ill., assignor to Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois .Filed June 30, 1958, Ser. No. 745,746 7 Claims. (CI. 88-57) My invention relates to an optical objective, and more partlcularly to an objective for taking and projecting motion pictures though not limited to such.

High aperture objectives of the Petzval type are limited to a relatively small angular field due to the heavy field curvature inherent to this basic form. A substantial flattening of the field curvature has been attained in the prior art, by using a negative power element, close to the focal plane, thereby imposing extremely short back focus limitations, but reducingastigmatism and field curvature a substantial amount without adversely aifccting aberration characteristics of a suitably balanced Petzval objective design. The back focus limitation mentioned above precludes the use of the Petzval with field flattener type of lens design in most motion picture camera or projectors, due to mechanical interference of the rearmost negative power component and the film moving mechanism. To overcome this condition the field fiattener element can be displaced towards the basic lens, but as this was done in the past, the spherical aberration and coma correction tended to deteriorate rapidly and due to the strong curvature, higher order effects tended to be introduced as well by this change. It would be desirable to provide an objective having a filed flattener and a long back focal length, andcorrected for the aberrations introduced by the field fiattener.

Objects of the invention are the provision of a very fast optical objective which is corrected for spherical aberrations including those of the third and higher orders, chromatic aberrations, coma, astigmatism, field curvature and distortion.

Another object of the invention is to provide an objective of high relative aperture. with a back focus dimension of .15F or greater, where F denotes the equivalent focal length of the entire objective and in which a relatively large amount of positive power is provided in the components immediately in front of the last negative member so as to keep the incident height of a marginal ray at a minimum when it impinges on this rearmost negative power element, thereby keeping the aberration effects small.

A further object of the invention is to provide an objective having positive front and intermediate components and a rear strong negative field flattener spaced substantially from the focal plane or plane of the film with the intermediate component several times as powerful as the front component so that first and higher order spherical aberrations introduced by the field fiattener are effectively cancelled.

It is to be understood that the terms front and rear as herein used refer to the ends of the objective respectively nearer the longer and shorter conjugates thereof.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate different objectives embodying the invention.

The invention provides optical objectives primarily intended for projection purposes, but suitable for photoice 2 graphic use, corrected for spherical aberration, chromatic aberration, coma, astigmatism, field curvature, and distortion, comprised of a positive doublet, another positive doublet spaced substantially in back of the first doublet, closely followed by a strong positive singlet, and, spaced a suitable distance to the rear, a strong negative singlet.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the objective shown therein comprises first, second and third spherical components 1, 2 and 3. The front component '1 is a doublet shown as an air separated or edge contact type and having lenses L and L The component 2 has an air separted doublet comprised of lenses L and L, and also has a positive singlet L The third component 3 is a field flattener lens L which is mounted integrally with the components 1 and 2 and is spaced substantially from the field or film plane to provide space for the mechanism for feeding the film. Rather than the components 1 and 2 being of somewhat equal power, the front component 1 is a weak positive component so that all orders of spherical aberrations and the other aberrations are kept initially low and the second lens component 2 is a very strong positive lens system, being at least several times as strong as the front component. Beginning with the front end of the objective shown in FIG. 1, R to R respectively designate the radii of the optical surfaces of the components, 1 and t the axial thicknesses of the components, s to .9 the axial separations of the lenses, and f, to f, the local lengths of the respective components 1, 2 and 3.

To provide adequate space between the objective and the plane of the film for location of known film moving means (not shown), the back negative lens L is also related to the back focal distance of the combined system as follows:

where B.F.L. is defined as the back focal distance of the overall objective and K denotes the Petzval power or curvature, contribution of the lens L and K is further defined by the equation:

n-l l 1 K6 1L 11 12) and n denotes the refractive index for the sodium D line of the lens L and further R and R refer to the first and second radius of curvature of the lens L in the normal convention as described previously and represented in FIG. 1. y

The higher order spherical aberration is satisfactorily held to a minimum by air spacing the lenses L and L of front doublet component 1 and maintaining the following ratios:

where the signs are used in the customary manner; i.e.,

a surface to incident rays approaching from the long conjugate side, is called plus, and surface concave to incident rays approaching from the long conjugate side of the objective is designated minus, wherein F is the number of inches of the equivalent focal length of the objective expressed as an abstract number.

In order to provide good correction, the balance of the objective shown in FIG. 1 must 'be within the following boundaries, wherein F is the number of inches of the equivalent focal length of .the objective exxpressed as an abstract number:

Also of importance is the relative distribution of power in the three major components 1, 2 and 3 of the complete objective. In previous lens objectives disclosed in the prior art of allied types of the classical Petzval objective, the relative power contribution of the front doublet has been comparatively strong. The present invention attains satisfactory correction to apertures of f/ 1.4 by purposely keeping the power of component 1 low and that of component 2 high. The transfer of positive power to the component 2 effectively cancels higher order effects introduced by the comparatively strong negative power component 3 and for this purpose, the following relationships are necessary:

where f, is the focal length of component 1, f is the equivalent focal length of the component 2, and f is the focal length of the component 3.

In terms of power, the power of the component 1 is from .25 to .33 times that of the overall power of the objective, the combined power of the component 2 is from 1.11 to 2.0 times overall power of the objective and the power of the component 3 is from --.909 to 2.0 times the overall power of the objective.

Preferred examples of the objective shown in FIG. 1 are made in conformance with the following tables in which dimensions are in terms of inches and in which the indices of refraction for the D line and the Abbe dispersion numbers are respectively indicated at 11,; and V:

EXAMPLE 1 IF=Equlvalent focal length==1.000 Back focal length=.150 Aperturef/1.4

ns=l. 651 V== 55. 8

na=l. 689 V=30. 9

na=l. 611 V=58. 8

EXAMPLE II [F=Equlvalent focal length=1.000 Back focal length: .150 Aperture 171.4] lf1=+3.69F fr==+.78F f;= -1.03I

R1 =+.9335 L1 t1= nd=l. 611 V=58.8

81=. 024 R; 1.835 L1 t:=.047 na=l. 689 V=30. 9

a2= 763 Rs =+.841 L tr=. n =1. 651 V=55. 8

sa=. 003 R =1.429 L4 l. i4=. 040 'nd=1. 689 V=30. 9

84 005 R; =+.6118 L; ts=. 116 na=1. 611 V=58. 8

85 3075 R11 .5882 Lu tu= 025 nd=l. 649 V: 33. 8

EXAMPLE III [F=Equivalent focal length=1.000 Back focal length: .150 A perture f/lA] [f1=+3.71F f2=+.74F f3: .83F]

R1 8995 L t1=. 150 71 :1. 611 V=58. 8

81=. 028 R; l. 786 L2 i2=.045 nd=1.689 V=30. 9

31:. 7325 R 841 In ta=. 150 nd=1.651 V=55. 8

3z=. 003 R1 =l. 429 L4 t4=. 040 nd=1. 689 V=30. 9

84=. 005 R0 5896 L5 t5=.l47 na=1. 611 V=58.8

R10=P18J10 s 2775 Ru= 5714 La tu=.025 'na=1. 689 V=30. 9

R1q=Plauo EXAMPLE IV [F=Equlvalent focal lel1gl;l1=1.000fl1 121x201; focal length=.282 Aperture The objective shown in FIG. 2 and constituting an alternate embodiment of the invention has components 21 to 23, and is similar to the objective shown in FIG. 1 except that second component 22 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has a cemented doublet of lenses L and L as distinguished from the corresponding edge contact lenses L and L, of the objective shown in FIG. 1. The objective shown in FIG. 2 has lenses L to L with optical surfaces R to R thicknesses t to and air spacings s to s However, the cemented doublet of lenses L A preferred embodiment of the objective shown in FIG. 2 conforms with the following table in which dimensions are in terms of inches, and in which the indices of refraction for the D line and the A-bbe dispersion numbers are respectively designated at n and V:

[F=Equlvalent focal length=1.000 Back focal length=.282 Aperture f/l.4]

When the objectives described above are to be used for projection purposes, the lenses each are fixed relative to. one another as is well known in the art and known adjusting means are used to adjust each objective as a whole relative to the film plane. However, when either of the objectives is used as a camera lens, focusing is achieved by moving the front component 1 or 21 relative to the other components 2 and 3 or 22' and 23 by well known means.

The objective of FIG. 2, for high correction, also must conform to the algebraic inequalities listed above in the description of the objective shown in FIG. 1. Also, when either of the objectives described above is used as a camera objective, a stop may be provided and positioned closely behind the front component 1 or 21. When used as projection lens systems, the lens mount serves as the stop. The objectives are highly corrected for relative apertures even larger than f/ 1.4.

While the invention is thus described, it is not wished to be limited to the precise details described, as changes may be readily made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1 An optical objectivecorrected for spherical and chromatic aberrations, coma, astigmatism, field curvatures and distortion comprising a front component, a rear component, and an intermediate group of components hav ing a rear singlet, the front and intermediate components being positive and the front component being substantially less powerful than the intermediate group of components, the rear component being negative, the front component comprising an air separated doublet, the intermediate group ofcomponents comprising a doublet and a singlet, and further characterized in that the distribution of power over said components complies with wherein F is the overall focal length of the objective in inches expressed as an abstract number, R R R and R are the respective radii of the surfaces of the front component proceeding from front to rear, R and R are the respective radii of the front and rear optical surfaces of the rear singlet, and R and R are the respective radii of the front and rear optical surfaces of the rear component.

2. An optical objective corrected for spherical and chromatic aberrations, coma, astigmatism, field curvatures and distortion comprising a front component, a rear component, and an intermediate group of components, the front component and the intermediate group of components being positive and the front component being substantially less powerful than the intermediate group of components, the rear component being negative, the front component comprising an air separated doublet, the intermediate group of components, comprising a front doublet and a rear singlet, and further characterized in that said objective complies substantially with the following table in which the dimensions are in terms of. inches and beginning with the front end of the objective L to L designate the lenses, R to R the radii of curvature of the optical surfaces, to t the axial thicknesses, s to s the axial separations, n the refractive indices for the D line, and V the Abbe dispersion numbers:

[Equivalent focal length=1.000 mBfiek focal length=.150 Aperture R =+.7692 L1 t1=.

8r= 032 R: ==-1.923 Ll 12 047 Rs =+1.25U

R1o=+2A69 fls=1. 611

'3. An optical objective corrected for spherical and chromatic abberrations, coma, astigmatism, field curvatures and distortion comprising a front component, a rear component, and an intermediate group of components, the front component and the intermediate group of components being positive and the front component being substantially less powerful than the combined power of the intermediate group of components, the rear component being negative, the front component comprising anair separated doublet, the intermediate group of components comprising a front doublet and a rear singlet, and further characterized in that said objective complies substantially with the following table in which the dimensions are in terms of inches and beginning with the front end of the objective L to L designate the lenses, R to R the radii of curvature of the optical surfaces, t to t the axial thicknesses, s; to .9 the axial separations, n the refractive indices for the D line, and V the Abbe dispersion numbers:

"8 the axial separations, n the refractive indices for the D line, and V the Abbe dispersion numbers:

[Equivalent focal length=1.000 f/Pfick focal length=.150 Aperture [Equivalent focal length=1.000 fliBialck focal length=.282 Aperture R =+.9335 R; =+.770 L, I thus fld=1-611 V=58.8 L1 :1=.150 1ld=L 6108 v=5s.s

81=.024 l1=.030 R: =-1.s35 RI -1.786 I4 21=.047 fld=L689 v=ao.o L1 t1=.060 fld=L649 v-sas R4 ==+3.636 10 R1 =+2.304 8z=. 763 l1==. 670 I R =+.841 R; =+1.002 L. n=.150 "$1,651 V=56.8 L; ti=-.200 1-1.6496 v-55.s

R. -=1.53s RC --1.002

' 8a=.003 h=.001 R1 =1.429 R1 =.991 L4 =.040 fld =1.689 v-=3o.9 L4 41040 ai -1.6885 v=ao.9

R, =+2.ooo R: -P1ano u=.005 h= .005 R. =+.6118 R. -+.5015 L5 t5=.116 fld=1. 611 V=58.3 L i =.150 fl LBZO VI=60.0

R1o= +18.904 Rm 4.96

s|=. 3075 35 105 Rn=.5882 Bu=-.9625 L. ts=.025 1Zd=1- 649 V=88.8 L, z.=.o37 n =1.673 v=a2.2

Ru=5.000 Rn=+-7 1 4. An optical objective correctedfor spheric and 6. An optical objective corrected for spherical and chromatic aberrations, coma, astigmatism, field curvatures chromatic aberrations, coma, astigmatism, fi ld curva. and distortion comprising a front component, a rear comtures n distortion comprising a from component a rear ponent, and an intermediate group of components, t component, and an intermediate group of components, m: comPolleht and the mtefmedlate compohehts being the front component and the intermediate group of compositive and the front component being substantially less ponents being positive and the f ont component being Powerful than the .lhtel'medtate group of components, the substantially less powerful than the intermediate group j COmPOHFIIt bemg flegatlve, the front compoheht of components, the rear component being negative, the PIlSlIlg an air separated doublet, the intermediate comf m; component comprising an nseparated doublet, the 'p P trout dollhlet h "f Teal l and intermediate group of components comprising a front further characterized 1n that said ob ective complies subcemented doublet and a real- Singht, and f th char, stantlally W1th the fqllowmg table Y the dlmen' acterized in that said objective complies substantially with 810115 are In 0f Inches and hegllmlhg Wlth the from the following table in which the dimensions are in terms end of the gbJectlve 1 to a desl'ghflte the lenses, 1 to of inches and beginning with the front end of the objec- R the radn of curvature of the optical surfaces, 1 to 1 tive L21 to L26 designate the lenses, R21 to R31 the radii the axial t f w, 1 to 5 h axial Separatlohs, d of curvature of the optical surfaces, t to t the axial the refractive mdices for the D lme, and V the Abbe dlS- thicknesses, S21 to S24 h axial Separations, "d the i persion numbers: 40 tive indices for the D line, and V the Abbe dispersion [Equivalent focal length=l.000 1112ml: focal 1ength=.150 Aperture n m ers! [F =Equlvalent focal length=1.000 Back focal length=.282 Aperture 171.4] a R, 8995 L1 R 5 555 ti-=.150 na=1. 611 V=58.9 Rn=+ 770 La M1150 ns=1.e10s v-sas R; =-1. 786 Ru=-12.s47 In iz=. 045 fld=1. cs9 v=ao. 9 saw. 030

R4 =+3. 896 Bn= --1.786

I 7325 Lu tn=.060 rid-1.649 V=33.8 R5 841 R:4=+2.304 I R 1 5385 t;=.150 m1=1.651 V=55.8 R +1002 aw- N: 50 La z,;-.200 fld=1.6496 v-sss R1 =-1.429 Ra -LOOZ L4 t4=.040 fla=l.689 v=30.9 m m=.o4o ai -1.6885 v=3o.9

R| =+2, 00o Rn==P1an0 c4=.005 II-.005 R. 5896 Ru=+.5048 L; t|.=.147 ns=1.o11 v=ss.s nc tw-Jsc nd=1. 620 v-mo R1o= Plano Bn= --l5.010 I s;=. 2775 814-. 105 V Rn= 5744 Rau -.9753 L. u=.o25 n =1.689 V=30.9 u tu=.037 nd=1. 673 V-32.2

Rn=Plano Ru=+.701

5. optical objective corrected for spherical and 7. A corrected objective; which comprises a front air chromatic aberrations, coma, astigmatism, field curvatures separated rim contact doublet component including a and distortion compnsinga front component, a rear comfront positive lens and a rear negative lens with the adponent, and an mtermedlate group of components, the jacent surfaces so shaped as to correct higher order spherfront component and the intermediate group of compoical aberration; intermediate components including an air nents being positive and the front component being subseparated edge contact doublet and a rear positive lens stantially less powerful than the mtermedlate group of with said front doublet comprising a front positive lens components, the rear component being negative, the front and a rear negative lens; and a rear field flattener comglP comprlslllg an p f d dolblettglthe interponent; and in which the front doublet component conm ate component comprising a Font 011 at and 3 forms substantiall to the followin e nations in whi h rear singlet, and further characterized in that said objecy g q c tive complies substantially with the following table in fi which the dimensions are in terms of inches and begin- R2 ning with the front end of the objective L to L designate the lenses, R to R the radii of curvature of the O5FI & optical surfaces, t to i the axial thicknesses, s; to s a Back focal distance of objective Ka the Petzval power or curvature of the rear component and where n is the refractive index of the rear component for the sodium D line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bowen Apr. 2, 1935 Wood Apr. 6, 1937 Kingslake et al Sept. 11, 1945 Schade July 22, 1952 Bertele May 6, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 20, 1947 Great Britain June 4, 1952 Great Britain Sept. 1, 1954 Germany Sept. 28, 1953 

